ID issue puts Florida ports at odds with police

Thursday

Mar 24, 2011 at 5:22 PM

Matt Dixon

TALLAHASSEE - A lucrative battle between the industry that each year brings roughly $60 billion in international trade Florida's way and the state's top police force is again playing itself out in committee rooms across the Capitol.

For the sixth consecutive year, lawmakers are trying to ax requirements that public ports sell identification badges to workers who want to enter their property and that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement do background checks on badge applicants. They say badges are duplicative because the federal government issues its own, are expensive for workers - like truck drivers - who must buy state badges at several ports, and hurts business because Florida is the only state that requires dual badges.

The federal badge costs $132.50 and it is valid for five years. The state badges range from $25 to $85 initially, with annual renewal fees between $10 and $35 depending on the port.

The state's ports, including Jacksonville's, back the measure.

FDLE torpedoed bills during past sessions. It says that lifting state guidelines is a step back because the federal government is more concerned about screening for terrorism and not things that are more prevalent in Florida, like drug smuggling and cargo theft.

Those are the surface-level arguments, but those in the trenches tell a more political tale.

"The program has been a cash cow" for FDLE, said state Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, a former longshoreman who has led much the effort in years past. He has co-sponsored a bill this year that would do away with state badges.

"They just want to protect their budget," he added.

Since 2007, FDLE has made $7.3 million conducting background screenings on badge applicants, department records show. After the 2009 implementation of a statewide database that allows ports to share background checks, revenue from the program dropped off drastically.

The department estimates it will bring in $521,880 from the program this year, down from $1.9 million in 2007. Its overall 2010 budget is $247.9 million.

FDLE does not comment on pending pieces of legislation, but its opposition was crystallized in testimony last year. The department argued that removing state-level oversight from the process would open up vulnerabilities because, in part, federal and state applicants are screened for different things.

"The [federal government] has its primary focus on terrorism, while [the state law] deals with cargo theft, other crimes in our ports, theft in our ports, drug smuggling in our ports," Ken Tucker, an FDLE assistant commissioner, said in an April 2010 committee hearing.

He also argued that the state program makes it easier to keep tabs on who is working on Florida's ports.

"That database gives us visibility on everyone that works on our seaports in Florida," he said. "With the federal card we don't have that to the same degree."

War on drugs

The state badges were originally instituted in 2001 in response to high levels of drug trafficking. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the federal government imposed its own set of rules, leaving Florida as the only state with dual badge requirements.

Tucker also said that the 2009 database, paid for with $1 million from the federal stimulus, should be given a chance to work before the state program is scrapped. When that money runs out, the program will have to fight for funding from the Legislature.

Records show that the badge program is a local money-loser. It has cost JaxPort $271,000 since 2006, one reason its officials back the legislation. But Chris Kauffmann, JaxPort's chief operating officer, wouldn't discount working with the state.

"FDLE is a partner with the seaports," he said. "They provide us critical intelligence that helps us carry out our duties."

Gov. Rick Scott has been vocal port booster. He has pledged $77 million for a dredging project in Miami, and made a stop at JaxPort this month.

The legislation has passed out of two committees on unanimous votes, and the optimism of its proponents can best be encapsulated in the comments of Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Brandon.

"I think you can hear it. Do you hear it? Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah," she sang at the Senate Transportation Committee meeting. "It's coming from all the port people everywhere, and back in the back FDLE people are going boo, boo ..."

"Tony [Hill], I'm surprised you're not dancing around."

matt.dixon@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4174

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